


Escape

by geekboyzayn



Series: Night of The Hunter [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Coven Leader!Louis Tomlinson, M/M, Magical!Liam, Vampire!Zayn, Violence, Werewolf!Niall, vampire!Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-15
Updated: 2013-03-15
Packaged: 2017-12-05 08:46:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/721142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekboyzayn/pseuds/geekboyzayn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The third and final installment of this arc of the NotH universe. The end. This was such a fun write.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Escape

**Author's Note:**

> The third and final installment of this arc of the NotH universe. The end. This was such a fun write.

Hopelessness. It was the only thing Zayn could feel. He’d lost all the will and defiance in the short hours between Louis words and the sunset. Completely drained of any power he had simply because Louis was right and Zayn had wanted to believe it differently. He wanted to be hopeful, that perhaps he wasn’t going to be alone in this world for the rest of his life. He’d had something good and Zayn was so quick to snap it into his heart and hold it so tightly, that his want for it to mean something was null and void now.

It couldn’t mean anything now. Louis controlled him and Zayn was the prisoner in an eternity oppressed. Louis was his master, he controlled the rope that was bound tightly around Zayn’s throat and he’d tightened it that morning. Clinching the metaphorical twines tighter until it was obvious he had his pet broken. In how the night had come and went and Zayn did not leave closed doors of his room. In how Harry came to Louis in worry as another night passed and Zayn stayed in the apartment. Zayn lacked the vigor and determination to fight Louis.

No more fight, no more worry. Louis knew what he had done and it had pleased him.

Until it hadn’t.

Harry was upset and Louis had slowly grown angered at the lack of normality that had once regulated his life. There was no more fun to be had pestering Zayn and there was no more filtered in fight left in Harry. He barely quipped now when Louis found himself in the young boy’s bed and it had all but lost its appeal quickly. He’d even tried fixing things, tried forcing Zayn outside, commanding him to feed, but there was little to no point. Hazel eyes would lift to Louis position from wherever Zayn’s form had collapsed at the time, starved and tired, and nothing would reflect in his gaze. It was infuriating. Louis had wanted to tame the wild male and in some sick appeal, Zayn was slowly killing himself.

But if that was what he wanted to do, Louis would be glad to oblige his foolish attempt.

—-

Harry had been lying on the couch, flicking absentmindedly through the channels when he’d heard the familiar click of Zayn’s bedroom door. Body lifted quickly as his limbs flipped over the back of the couch, righting himself before standing staring down the hall a smile full on his lips. However that quickly fell at the sight.

Louis had a unconscious Zayn slung over his shoulder, passing one look over to Harry before moving to the door neither Harry or Zayn were allowed to touch.

It was the door to the panic room Louis had built in the flat. A soundproof, metal reinforced room decorated similar to the boys bedroom, however it wasn’t meant for sleeping. Louis used it largely as a lure for his kills, the ones that Zayn and Harry were told not to worry about. The ones they got to smell and hear and were tempted mercilessly with, but were never allowed to share.

Harry watched with wide eyes as Louis moved into the room, dropping Zayn to the ground in a heap and moving back into the hall, quickly tapping a code and hearing the telltale sound of a metal lock. “You are not to open this. You are not to help him. Do you understand?”

The voice filtered into Harry’s ears, a shiver coursing down the length of his spine. Green eyes still staring at the locked door. Zayn was in there, Zayn was dying, starving and now he was locked away into a room he could not escape room. A room meant for him to die.

To die for good.

“Do you understand me?” The tone raised, blue eyes turning on Harry now and the young male gulped slowly, frantically nodding his head into agreement. His gut ached, knowing full well what Louis was doing. There was no way out of the panic room, no way but the outside lock and you had to have the combination to unlock it. Zayn was in his coffin waiting to be taken for good.

“He thinks he’s doing me a favor…” There was a pause as Louis moved back down the hall to his room. “…should’ve done it sooner.”

—-

Zayn wasn’t doing it to make Louis happy however. His lack of will and care were strategic. The burning in his chest and the agonizing pain as his stomach began to consume what it could, when Zayn’s body began to slowly eat away at itself. All of it was meant for the simple purpose of Zayn being free and if he could not be free in life, then he’d be free in death. It would be long and painful and Zayn was aware of this, aware of how he’d lose his mind and all his humanity before it was over. But he didn’t want it to be easy on Louis; he wanted the male to see his precious item slowly die, to know it was his fault. Louis would stay stubborn until it was too late and he’d lose one of ‘his’ things.

Louis would live with the fact that Zayn would be at peace and that he no longer had the control he flaunted so effortlessly. It only seemed fair after the years of unwanted immortality, the unasked for life that he was given, could finally be ripped away and by his own hand. That in his last moments, he can imagine the spite that filter up Louis neck in the form of deep crimson blush.

There was always something in the crossfire though, always something that was wounded far worse than either party. It went unnoticed, would always be invisible to the fueding eyes, but it would always be hurt twice the amount of either party. No one would care, because it was them that cared the most. An innocent.

Poor Harry.

—-

It was four days in, four days of Harry sitting on the couch with his legs tucked against his chest, hands covering his ears, trying to tune out the yelling, to ignore the smashing of furniture and walls.

This was what happened when a vampire starved. Their bodies fought for food, all senses on high alert for the one thing that it craved. The disease that coursed through their reanimated bodies went on a frantic search and it destroyed what it could to get what it wanted. What a starving vampire wanted was anything that had a pulse and Zayn was no different.

When Louis had told Harry to stay away from the room it hadn’t just been a command, but a warning. In the state that Zayn was in, Harry was more of a meal than anything else.

So, Harry had tried to block out the screams of pain, but they dug deep into his mind and planted seeds of pure despair. No rocking back and forth, no comforting self-promises that Zayn would be okay, that he’d give up this last ‘fuck you’ to Louis and he’d beg to be fed, he’d apologize to Louis and he go back to being the normal Zayn.

Harry was useless, his best- no his only friend was dying and all he could do was shake and try and ignore it. The young vampire did not know he could loathe himself any more then already did, but this, this just proved how pointless Harry’s very existence was. He couldn’t do one damn thing, because he wouldn’t let himself. Louis voice rang deafeningly into his ear, ‘don’t you dare help him’ and Harry was listening. Just like the good little lad he was, the good pet.

And it had to change.

Harry waited until Louis disappeared into the night to take up his spot on the couch. A burning hatred for the other male had festered within the young vampire. One fueled each time that he saw Louis so unaffected by all this. He could comprehend how someone who’d known Zayn for nearly a hundred years could still continue on. Harry had only been around for fifteen and this was the worst pain he’d felt since the bite.

Eyes clenched closed as the thrashing in the room down the hall started and there were cries of pain again. His hands clasped tightly over his ears, Louis voice in his head and Harry shook.

“Stop….” His voice trembled, body curling into itself.

“Stop please!” His voice wavered, though the tone grew stronger, fingers curling desperately into his twists of hair. There was another yell and something smashed into a wall and Harry hoped there was still some kind of furniture left, something, the images of Zayn throwing himself against the reinforced walls, the supposed soundproof walls, flooded Harry’s mind. 

There was another thud and it rang in sensitive ears. Harry quickly sitting up from the couch, leaping the back and moving to Zayn’s door, tears filled green eyes that faded to a deep crimson. “STOP IT!” He yelled into the door, hands clenched tightly into balled fists. “Stop it, stop please. Just stop Zayn!” He pressed his forehead against the door, cool and metal, feigned to a painted wood look. He wanted to think on the other side his friend was calm, but there was an inhuman growl and Harry felt the hands slam to the door on the opposite side. Nails dragging down desperately, wanting to feed.

This was not Zayn. It was nowhere near the man that had protected Harry from Louis, the man that had comforted him when he’d been a panic stricken youngling. This was a monster. A starving caged animal and he was rabid. 

“I have to help you.” Harry’s words fell from a confident tongue, one hand lifting to push away the tears that had been desperate to fall at one point, the other moving to rest, open palm on the door. There was a single moment that slammed into Harry, the moment of realization that he wasn’t the one that needed Zayn. He didn’t need Zayn to protect him from Louis, to keep him fed on the nights when he was too scared to go outside and he wasn’t the one that needed the other. Zayn needed Harry.

So he presumed it was that thought in his mind when he’d fled the flat. Leaving the shelter of the walls and covered windows in a blind mission. Harry knew what he had to get, but the how was still foreign and the where was just as unknown. Determination raged through Harry though, filling his body with the willingness to keep going. Even in the complete dark of the night, the outside world frightened him. The loud sounds of cars that caused him to grimace, placing his hands over his ears for a moment. He hated the loud sounds, the roar of cars as the passed and the fact he could hear everything, every laugh from two blocks away, every footstep, door open or close, every breath and every beating heart within that block.

Harry didn’t remember being so hungry, the nagging twist of his stomach proving that he indeed was. His mouth watered as he walked, eyes snapping immediately to a pair of young woman giggling across the street. Working girls, but their hearts beat so strong. The rhythmic bass echoed into Harry’s ears, so tempting, like it was calling to him.

No! That would have to wait; he had a job to do. He needed to remember where Zayn had once said he’d gotten the little packets of blood, the ones that nurses and doctors used but were more like little juice packets to himself and Zayn. 

He’s a witchdoctor, knows voodoo, parents were creepy enthusiasts. Does this weird thing where he moves stuff without touching it. He’s a friend.

Harry tried to strike his brain into thinking of the man’s name. Zayn had said it, said it multiple times. Harry remembered being so hopelessly enthralled by Zayn telling stories of the guy, back when they still spoke as equals. He missed those times, missed when he and Zayn would hide out in Zayn’s room, lock the door and stay away from Louis for days. Zayn would tell Harry all about his past all about what he used to do in London and about his family. Harry had sat in blissful wonderment, wishing so terribly that he could even remember his own mother’s name.

But that had been years ago. Zayn had become so closed off now.

Harry chewed slightly on his lip, shaking his head clear of thoughts, remembering what he was doing. Right, right. Find the witchdoctor. Where had Zayn said he lived? Harry raked his brain for the answer, combing his fingers through his mess of unruly curls, trying to remember. Minutes lapsed and Harry glanced around the area, hoping something would click into his mind. Zayn said he had a small book store, and it only ever took him minutes to go from there to the flat, it had to be close.

He hoped at least. There was only a short amount of time left.

—-

It was late. Well past midnight and Liam knew that he should have closed up shop, headed upstairs to his flat and had a good night’s rest, but something held him back. A strange feeling held him at bay within the bookstore, something that bound him to the front register, eyes on the front door. He wasn’t sure what exactly compelled him to stay where he was, but he did know that there was no way to fight it now that it had a hold on him.

A small chicken bone passed between his fingers, one of the little less conspicuous items he had on his front desk. The dyed white bone was something so useful to him, but just intriguing to an outsider looking in. It was a nice accent that just came in handy every once in a while. As long as people didn’t mention the other random, odd things in his bookstore, Liam didn’t see why he had to worry about the random bone here and there.

Lips parted to release a long sigh, shifting slightly from his seat. His gut ached at the movements, something urging to stay seated, but he fought it, not seeing the point now. Not when it didn’t seem like anyone was going to be coming or anything was going to be happening.

His stool slid across the wood floor with a slight screech, Liam wincing at the sound, tired ears too sensitive for anything right now. “I need to stop letting my feelings judge when I go to bed.” The words were muttered, but there was a quick pause, the end of his sentence catching on the sound of soft tapping against glass. Eyes scanned the front of the store, one hand moving to grab the bat that rested behind the front counter the other flicking the bone back onto the counter. Fingers spread in his free hand, the lights in the store dimming quickly, wanting whatever the tapping belonged to be as disadvantaged as he was. Great, now he was paranoid.

Liam moved to front of the store in time to hear the quick tapping again, bat now firmly grasped between both hands, biting down on his bottom lip in concentration. “Who is it?” He called into the darkness, glancing down the length of the windows, noting the fact that the tapping was not at his front door. There was however a dark form behind the curtain of one window. Eyes narrowed, once again asking the question out loud and once again not receiving an answer. 

Jaw clenched, but a sudden wave of calm washed over him, his body not feeling threatened by this situation any longer. The grip on the bat relaxed, and his free hand lifted fingers snapping and the curtain curled in response, showing the huddle figure of a young man with curly hair and shining green eyes.

The boy jumped back at the movement in front of him, but Liam was quick to catch his eyes, noting the fading red that dissipated to the edges of the green. Liam narrowed his gaze, holding the young males gaze until the other finally ducked his head, stepping back from the window. Submissive. Without a second thought Liam flicked the latch of the door opening it slightly. “I invite you in….” and with that returned to the back of the shop.

“I’m guessing you’re Harry then?” Liam called into the shop, stepping behind the counter, turning to glance up at the shiver mess that was Harry Styles. Vampire baby.

“H-how-“

“Zayn told me about you… I’m presuming you’re here to tell me Zayn’s dead?” There was a twitch at the corner of Liam’s lips, a frown, but it was forced away, expression docile.

“N-no….not yet at least…he needs, um…food.” Harry stumbled over his words, frightened and unsure. Humans scared him, the worlds scared him. But he had to be strong he had to save Zayn. He had to.

“Why didn’t he just come get it himself?” Harry flinched at the scrutinizing tone that Liam took. Flicking his eyes up to meet the others gaze, but quickly losing the confidence to hold the gaze. Harry could feel the dominating power that poured of Liam and it left him a shaking mess.

“He c-couldn’t…”

“Why?” Liam tilted his head in question, his tone suddenly soft and Harry was worried more so about this then anything. It was like Liam was reading his mind, like he had heard his fear and had corrected himself to fit better. To get more out of Harry.

The vampire bit at his lip, moving a hand through his hair, looking back up at Liam, fear still soaked in the jade green of his eyes, but a confidence lurked beneath the tides. “Does it matter? He needs it okay. Just- just give me some blood so I can give it to him!”

There was silence, one where deep brown eyes grew soft as they flicked over the stronghold of green eyes blazing.

“All right….give me a sec.” With that Liam disappeared into the back, pushing the strings of beads away with an unseen force. Harry was left blinking, not used to winning or people doing as he asked. It was a surprising feeling, one he almost didn’t enjoy. Dominance was too hard of work and stressful.

A deep slow sigh left Harry’s parted lips, eyes scanning over the bookstore, glancing over his shoulder and out the windows into the street. There was a moment his eyes caught the glimpse of white fur and yellow eyes and Harry found himself spinning around to fully see what his brain was figuring to be an impossibility. However, by the time his eyes rested on the spot in question, there was nothing to be seen. Just empty black space.

“You see something?” The question had come from behind him.

Harry jumped, whipping his gaze towards Liam, before once more looking towards the window. He was stressed out, he hadn’t slept and had barely fed, and he was obviously hallucinating. “No…just…a dog ran by or something.”

“Yeah…they do that. Big ones around here.” There were the remnants of a chuckle that held fast onto Liam’s words, but his expression was serious and Harry passed off what he heard like he’d past off what he had seen. Instead he glanced down at what Liam was holding, the clear plastic pouches filled with burgundy liquid. “This enough for him?”

“I-I think…I hope so.” Harry mumbled, reaching out to take the IV bags from Liam, but he pulled back, looking back down at Harry, this time taking a step forward and the vampire retreated back, cowering, unsure.

“He dies, you tell me. Understand?” Liam’s brows furrowed, searching Harry’s face until he held the others eyes. Harry blinked, but nodded quickly, pulling back, hands grasping the small pouches of blood and shoving them carefully into the wells of his jacket. His stomach churned; the smell so tempting, the urge to feed one of the hardest things Harry had ever fought before. Eyes lifted once again to glance at Liam, whose expression had softened again and Harry noted the worry that creased the humans brow.

“I’m not gonna let him die, Liam.”

“I know.” Another pause and Harry finally bowed his head in thanks turning to disappear out the door quickly, glancing back at the little bookstore, but the curtains had fallen over the windows and there was only the faint outline of a figure moving behind them. One breath in, a pointless breath, but it calmed Harry considerable, moving back in the direction of the apartment, hands holding onto the only chance Zayn had.

—-

There is something off when Harry returned. His mind had been on how he was going to break into the locked room, completely oblivious to his surroundings, to the sounds. Hands gripped protectively to the pouches of A+ and B+ blood, Harry was only really worried about one thing. So it went completely unnoticed when he’d stepped into the apartment, the front door slightly ajar and the panelling splintered where it had been forced open. It was only when he heard the inhuman growling and sudden crash of furniture that Harry’s obliviousness dissipated.

And in good time.

His senses snapped into high gear, body lurching backwards as the unknown body was thrown towards him, arms clasping the figure, blonde hair tickling his face, nose scrunching in the overpowering odor of animal. More closely, wolf.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, panic stricken now by this intruder, but his eyes locked onto the cause of Harry’s arm full of stranger.

Zayn stood in front of them, yes fully black, fangs protruding past his upper lip. He was panting, hands flexing, nails having evidentially grown into talon like structures. It was a frightening image and had Harry had a heart to stop, then he was sure seeing Zayn like this would have done just that.

“Z-zayn?” The black eyes twitched at his name, but Harry wasn’t sure what he was looking at, with no pupil and no real structure to signify the direction of vision, Harry was left to guess Zayn had turned his gaze on him.

“What’s wrong with him?” The man in Harry’s arms asked, trying to right himself, trying to stand, but he was bleeding, scratches on large portions of his visible skin. Harry wanted to hush the stranger, to go into comfort mode, to fix his wounds, but there was a rush of better judgement. There was something that had to be dealt with before he played twenty questions.

“Get behind me.” He muttered slowly, making slow movements to help the injured blonde behind him, gulping slowly as the black eyes followed their movements. Hands were clenched at Harry’s waist, and he felt the male rest his head against the middle of his back, drained of energy.

“Zayn.” A hiss. A warning. Harry flinched visibly, but held the black eyes with his now crimson gaze. Fangs were bared at him and Harry returned the gesture. He was so far out of his field and yet, as he stepped forward, he took note of the way Zayn stepped back.

“You’re not going to hurt us understand. I got what you really want.” With that Harry pulled the IV bags of blood from the wells of his jacket, holding them out slowly, moving a step forward, and feeling the male behind him take a step as well. There was another growl, fangs bared once again, but the animalistic warnings cleared when the blood was produced. In its place was a look of confusion, something that looked almost unnatural on the males face in the state he was in. Cheeks sunken in, eyes black.

Zayn obsidian gaze flickered over Harry’s hands, hands unclenching for a moment, reaching forward, cautious at first before, with an almost lightning fast reflex, he snatched up the pouches of blood. The contents disappeared as quickly as they had been grabbed, Harry quickly backing up, reaching back to steady the weak man behind him. The dominance once again washing out of his system.

There was a moment of feeding frenzy, Harry wincing at the sounds, flicking his eyes over his shoulder, unable to watch; instead they took in the male behind him. Blonde hair, blue eyes, around Harry’s appearing age. He was well built, minus the obvious cuts over his skin and he was obviously a werewolf. And he was also obviously distraught. Harry shifted himself, moving to grip back at the male lightly, in comfort, gaze finally drifting back to look at Zayn.

A smile snapped onto his face, a look of pure joy. Wavering back and forth on his feet, a more normal Zayn stood, eyes the golden brown as they moved to look towards Harry. The tanned male’s trade mark smirk lifted at the corner of his lips. “Hey Hazza.” The words passed through his lips and Harry felt a cough of laughter echo out his throat, before being caught as Zayn fell to the ground. Unconscious. The adrenaline that had been pumping his body into a hunting machine, no completely dissipated. Harry couldn’t have been happier.

“Shit.” Harry, turned, issuing a command for the werewolf to stay put and moved forward, scooping the fallen Zayn in his arms. Checking him over, noting a few wounds, but they were already quickly healing as Harry passed them over. The fresh blood to his system taking the affect it was meant to.

“I didn’t want to hurt him…” The voice was sullen, but held the Irish accent that was now painfully visible. Harry glanced back at the blonde, standing where he had been told to, however looking better than he had.

“You didn’t…”

—-

It had taken only moments for Harry to drop Zayn carefully onto to the bed in his room, shuffling past the random debris that had stayed littered on his floor. Louis had forbid Harry from going into Zayn’s old room, forbid him from ever making mention of the other vamp while he’d been locked in the panic room.

That was all over now though, there wasn’t going to be a need for him to stay silent, to worry with the absences of the only person that kept him from going mental. Zayn was going to be alright, all thanks to him.

A small smile creased his lips, rubbing the back of his neck as he strode of the room, eyes falling on the mess that had been made of the flat. Glass littered the floor with random chunks of wooden furniture. As he passed by the panic room he took note of how the electronic pad had been punched in, sparks flickering out from torn wires, looking like something from a cartoon. That must have been the werewolf’s doing. Brows knitted forward at that thought, mind running through the possible reasoning the blonde male had for being in the apartment, for fighting off Zayn and for feeling horrible about his actions in the end. There was an obvious lax in his mind for those moments the thoughts passed by, sudden realization striking him like an arrow.

“Sorry…bout this.” The voice brought Harry back to the real world, his eyes moving to fall on the werewolf, lifting a brow.

“Why were you in my house?” The tone was lithe with confidence that did not suit the innocence Harry portrayed and it caused Niall to jump slightly, taken back by the demeanor the male emitted. There was a moment where green eyes and blue locked, staring with curious gazes, before Niall spoke up, straightening up, chest forward.

“Why was Zayn like that?” Harry blinked at the question, brows raised, before he glared moving forward, using the height difference to look stronger then he was. Intimidation, he’d learned this from Zayn.

“Why do you care? Hmm? I’m not dumb. I know what you are.” Niall scoffed, holding back a laugh at the irony of those words, before he shook his head. Harry didn’t like not knowing things, being left in the dark. Inside he was frantic for answers, needing something to calm his worry. His mind was running on the thoughts of who this was and how he was connected to Zayn. A repeating pattern had risen in his thoughts, but he needed the confirmation. “You’re the one whose Zayn’s been staying out for aren’t you…You’re why he’s changed.”

There was a pause again; blue eyes washing over Harry like an icy wave. A gulp, shallow breath and Niall lifted a hand to press against the back of his neck, congealed blood staining his fingers. He wondered if it was his and hoped it was, not willing to allow himself the thought that he’d hurt Zayn. “…I think so.”

The moment fell silent once more, Niall’s gaze downcast to the floor as Harry looked over him, unsure of how to take it all in. Zayn had spent his time away from Harry with a werewolf. A being that was meant to be their natural born enemy. There wasn’t supposed to be a grey area in their relationship, Harry wasn’t supposed to speculate that Zayn meant something to this other man and vice versa. But there was that nagging thought and Harry did speculate that as the truth. He’d love to admit to it infuriating him, but deep down he couldn’t allow himself to hate it. He loved Zayn, dearly, like the brother he maybe never had or maybe forgot. What right did Harry have to hate the little bit of joy Zayn had found.

“You’re not healing very fast…” Harry spoke out loud, stepping over the rubble of the living room, moving within arms distance of Niall, a hand moving out to touch the cuts that ran down the others arm. The heat radiated into Harry’s fingers for the moment the pads touched the werewolf’s skin. Niall was quick to pull back, eyes meeting Harry’s with a warning.

“Don’t.”

“You’ll need to cover them. “ Harry ignored the command, glancing up at the blue eyed glare, nose twitching in slight irritation. Niall reminded him of a calmer Louis, the Louis Harry had first met. It was an odd realization and Harry was compelled to shove it out of his mind before it corrupted his thoughts. He wonder however, if it was this similarity that had made Zayn so keen to seek out Niall every night. It was years previous, more than Harry had even been alive for, but he was sure Louis must have acted the same for Zayn as he’d first acted for Harry. He’d changed over time though.

Everything seemed to change in Harry’s life.

“Come. I’ll wrap this for you. “ Harry turned moving back over the disaster that was the living room, pausing only when he didn’t hear steps behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he noted the confused look that bordered on speculative and childlike bewilderment. It amused him to see the expression on some one else’s face for once.

“Why are you helping me?” Niall made a move to step forward but quickly reconsidered. It was an idiotic idea to have broken into a vampire’s home, even more so when he knew blatantly well there was more than one. He’d been worried though. Worried over the sudden disappearance of Zayn, someone that had grown to be a constant in his life. Niall had worried he’d driven the other away with his forward actions, the idea he’d ruined whatever it was they had, left his stomach in knots. It was what had driven to seek out Zayn, to find any trace he could of the raven haired male and search him out. He stalked the night and it was as if their roles had suddenly been reversed.

Niall was the hunter and he had searched desperately for Zayn.

“You came to help him didn’t you? You thought he was in trouble?” Harry’s question caused Niall to flinch, blinking for a moment before nodding, jaw clenched in desperation, not knowing what to make of this all now.

“It was you I saw outside the bookstore? Giant white dog?”

“Wolf…Giant white wolf, please.” There was a soft smile easing over Harry’s lips and he reached forward again, confidentially curling his fingers in the fabric of the werewolf’s shirt, tugging him forward. Niall hesitated, but followed shortly after a second tug, heaving a sigh, the worry suddenly dissipating from his mind.

“Let’s get you fixed up wolf boy.”

—-

Niall had fallen so quickly for Zayn, like a rock through air. It wasn’t meant to have been like that, he wasn’t meant to suddenly feel things, suddenly feel everything. But he had and like water in a stream he’d confessed a large portion of those feelings to the curly haired vampire as he wrapped bandages around Nialls arms. And Harry accepted the information, blinking up at Niall, but not judging him, simply nodding, understanding.

At thirty eight years of age he was clueless to the feelings of undeniable love, the emotion that seemed to draw people together. He was clueless, but he still understood the devotion. Niall described it as this powerful force that was unrelenting and unforgiving. He’d lied awake for nights, sick with worry. Harry understood that. He knew this feeling and had experienced it. Harry was beginning to draw the conclusion that he had mistaken who Niall reminded him of. Niall was not Louis. Niall was him.

“You should be fine now. These will hold. I’m not exactly sure how fast you…people heal, but it’ll keep infection out until then.” Harry smiled, lifting his eyes to match Nialls gaze, inspecting the look of deep thought that cast shadows over the pale skin. “You know, Niall….he’ll be fine.”

Blue eyes lifted, searching Harry’s warm gaze, comforted by how easy it was to trust the young vampire, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I know…I just-“

Nialls words were cut short, the sound of faint steps catching in his sensitive ears, eyes blinking for a moment before he turned, looking to the entrance of the kitchen. Zayn stood, rubbing at his eyes, blinking slightly at the bright light of the kitchen. He looked like he’d simply woken from a nap, like nothing had happened in previous week and a half. Gold eyes shifted over both Niall and Harry, brows knitting slowly together. If Niall had a moment to reflect on that look, a moment before he sprang to his feet moving without thought until he was pressed against the cold form of the raven haired male, he may have called that look cute. But he didn’t, his mind was too busy, body controlled by an unstoppable force that drew him forward.

Hands slid to Zayn’s face, cupping his cheeks. There was a pause, an unheard conversation said between pools of icy blue and golden brass. Caught in a moment, one where they only existed and the other presence in the kitchen had long been forgotten. “You disappeared on me.”

“I did?” A smirked eased over cold chapped lips, Niall glared, the smirk widened into a full on grin.

“Don’t you ever do it again.” There was a growl of warning, one that caused a shiver to streak up Zayn’s spine.

“That a threat, doggy?” There was a pluck of laughter in Zayns voice, one that curled with his words, mixing with the adoration that Zayn wished wasn’t there. Niall was in his home, was there with him, was worried about him. Hands lifted, fisting in the material of Nialls shirt, eyes glancing down at the streaks of burgundy fading into the fabric. He wanted to question why there was blood, why there were bandages on his arms, why he was there, but he couldn’t seem to find the time. Between the time the last sentence left his lips, Niall pressed desperately forward and the blissful warmth that the werewolf brought rushed through him.

Zayn had no worries, no frets. All he had right then was Niall and that was enough.

There was an awkward cough from behind them, the moment ripped away as quickly as Zayn had pulled his mouth back from Niall’s. Niall’s cheeks tinged with heat, sliding his thumb along Zayn’s cheekbones before finally dropping his hands. They stepped apart and Zayn slid past Niall, moving towards Harry, eyes narrowed, causing the younger of the two to panic slightly. Harry took a step back the moment arms moved around his torso, a face buried in the crook of his neck and he was caught completely off guard. Held tightly in Zayn’s grasp, Harry didn’t know what to do. Arms were held out to the side, eyes wide, staring down at the older male. Had he a heartbeat he knew it would be racing now.

“This is a hug you idiot. You know how to hug?” There was laugh against his neck and one emitting from the blonde standing a few feet away and Harry couldn’t help the pouting glare that slid over his features. Arms moving to wrap around Zayn, pulling him close and accepting the show of affection like it was a new and wondrous thing. Which, coming from the raven haired vampire, it was.

“You’ve gone mad, obviously.” Harry muttered silently, shifting slightly, dropping his arms immediately after Zayn pulled back. He lifted a hand to Harry’s already messed hair, shaking it with a soft smile Harry swatted at him futilely in return, stepping back, nearly tripping himself over a chair in the process. Zayn laughed and it was almost as if this was normal, that they were this big family getting over some little squabble. That of course was not at all the case present, but Harry gave himself a moment to imagine.

“You know I’m leaving, right?” The words cut the stillness Harry’s mind had given him, green eyes flashing open. His gaze shifted, looking at the serious tone that had covered the area, painting it with a sudden weighted pressure. “You can come with us Harry. You don’t need him.”

“I know.” And Harry did. He was well aware of the lack of purpose of Louis in his life. He’d learned that in the week previous. There was nothing substantial in their relationship, nothing that bound Harry to Louis other than the two pinpoint scars on his neck. Louis needed him though. That was what had Harry tied down, held back from just agreeing and running off with his friend and the wolf. Harry didn’t need anyone, but there was always someone that needed him and with Zayn finally determined enough to leave, Louis would need Harry more than ever. “I can’t go.”

“He’ll kill you for helping me.” Zayn’s words like substance, following from his lips with as much believability as Harry had in them. He couldn’t even see the truth in his own argument and Harry laughed at that fact. Louis wouldn’t kill him; Louis wouldn’t have anyone if he did. He’d surely kill Zayn, he’d been tainted now and would lose his appeal, but Harry was still his. Louis never broke his own special things.

“He’ll be back soon….you should go.”

“Harry-“ There was a tug at his back, glancing over his shoulder at Niall, who’d taken a hold of his shirt, pulling him away from the pointless argument. As much as Zayn liked the sudden demeanor change in the boy, he hated the fact it had come at this point. He knew he had to leave and he wished Harry had to leave, but the answer was plain. “You’re sure?”

Harry nodded quickly, giving a crooked grin, one that was returned almost instantly. “Will you get out of here now? How am I’m going to think up an excuse when you’re breathing down my neck?” It was a forced laugh, pushed past words that would be left unsaid, stuffed to the back of both their minds with emotions neither of them knew what to do with. “Zayn, I’ll be fine. Promise. I don’t need you anymore.”

The words weren’t supposed to hurt, but the twinge of sting hit Zayn square in the chest, the corner of his lips twitching to a frown. He believed his curly haired friend though, for all it was worth. “Right.” Gaze shifted down, away from Harry as he made a move to turn, to walk away, but he stopped, quickly turning back around, arms wrapping tightly around Harry once more, face buried in the taller boys neck. The hug last only a few seconds, enough for both involved. Harry wanted to think it wasn’t a good bye, perhaps just a see you later, but he knew this was it. The both did.

“Zayn…you need to go. Honestly.”

“Yeah I know. “ There was another scoff of laughter, Zayn finally pulling away from Harry. “When the fuck you grow a pair?”

“When you lost your’s, now will you get the fuck out?” There was a growl hanging to the coat tails of Harry’s words, glaring at Zayn, pushing him slightly. He wished he could have been able to say the things that spun webs in his mind, words with meaning, but neither of them were like that now.

A tanned hand gripped tightly at the warm pale hand of the male beside him, eyes flickering to glance at Niall who was smiling warmly to Harry. A silent thank you. Fingers tightened their grip, comforting in the strength. Niall moved first, pulling the dark haired man along with him. Zayn stumbled through the front door, gaze shifting backwards and it was like a weight was being slowly lifted from his chest. He was free. Hand held tightly by a new life, something that wasn’t a constant restraint, something that didn’t shackle him. It was exhilarating and at the same time frightening and fear was almost new to him again. Zayn caught the mouthed word of ‘ goodbye’ fall off Harry’s lips and Zayn understood why he hadn’t said it out loud. Why neither of them had.

Goodbye meant forever and forever was a possibility to them.


End file.
